Most of us wanting the bench seat has little to do with seating 5 passengers. It is ease of use. It allows a child seat in the middle for access. It allows a child to lay down in the rear, it allows a center passthrrough, it allows 3 children (yes, children) to seat in the rear (if necessary) and most of all, it allows for more room.

Not as cool as the 4 buckets, and crushes the center rail enhancement, but offers what all 4door cars offer in what is yet, the most sporting auto on the road.

 

If it doesn't have three, you can attach a male/female seatbelt to the R/L inner seat belt/latch attachment points to get three.

 

I was always really strict about my kids being in their car seats/booster seats as long as they needed to be(based on height/weight laws for my state). I had a very bad accident just over a week ago and my daughter was with me. She is old enough now that she was riding in the front seat. She had just had the seat reclined to snooze on the long drive, but woke up and put the seat back upright just about 30 minutes before the accident. I still cringe when I think what could have happened had she had the seat reclined, or been in the back laying down. As a matter of fact, she's the one who thought of it later.
The funny thing, is I'm pretty mellow about most stuff, but have always been super strict about sitting up in the seat with the seatbelt on. Not trying to preach, I hate when people do that, just want you to be aware.
Annette

 

+1

 

+1 more. I worked at Childrens Hospital DC for many years. I still remember the night a child came in from a car wreck - the admitting dianosis was "accidental eviseration". No restraint and broken glass are a bad combination. Treatment and recovery took many months. Do whatever you can to protect your kids. No excuses, no shortcuts.

 

and another +1 on keeping kids restrained in an appropriately sized seat/booster/belt at all times. My 60+lb son is still in a five-point harness. and will be until he maxes out of that seat.

 

Greetings all. As you can see I am new to this site and have been reading the few threads about the rear bench seat. Thanks to all that have provided information, pictures and youtube links.

I agree that the bench seat does not appear to fold flat as the advertised upcoming option "Flat Load Floor" implies.

This is important to us because this will be my wife's daily driver and she needs to carry stuff around sometimes and a flat load floor in this car would be awesome. Btw, the kids are grown (we started young) and nobody ever rides in the rear seat of her Yukon.

We were told this week by our MA, who just returned from a Mini seminar that the bench seat for the Countryman will be July production.

So now it went from "Fold Flat Floor" to "Bench Seat." I think I'd rather wait to see it myself. Personally, if it doesn't fold much more flat than the 2 bucket seats we'd definitely rather have the bucket seats. They look sooooo much better.

Either way, if I need to wait till at least July/August to see what it looks like then we might as well order a 2012 model at that time. Since it seems thats when the new model year is released.

Hopefully, the CM will be available with a few new body colors in the 2012 model so for us it might be worth the wait.

 

It seems like someone could produce a "back seat leveler" that went across all of the back seats to form a flat surface, for instance for a dog to lay on.

As for a middle child seat - new rail attachment!

 

Posted elsewhere - no new colors for 2012. What you see is what you'll get. So, that's one wait and see you can take off the list.

P.S. I do hope that was not to imply that there is anything wrong with the current color selection. We all stand firmly in favor of the Austrian Color Palette.

 

As a new member I am glad to introduce myself to you Sealy. Thanks for same.

Just to set the record straight to you and everyone else, No offense intended with the palette remark.

I didn't register here to either bash the Mini Countryman nor be flamed for anything you may interpret from my posts. I am a potential purchaser. Nothing more, nothing less. Also a former BMW owner, for the record.

As I am a member on many other automobile forums whenever I see a new member who asks a valid and legitimate question I aways greet them onto the website even though I am only a member.

All the best to you.

 

Ooops, perhaps I was bit flippant, if not dry. There has been much discussion on the board as to the color selection offered on the Austrian built MINI. Once you start looking at the Countryman, you'll understand. It is, indeed, a bit odd and, therefore, has it's champions and critics. I myself am counting down the lease on my BMW to put the order in for a Pure Red, that is actually orange. I was hoping for a mid-year correction to the palette, but resolved to embrace the orange when none was forthcoming.

Welcome aboard & happy motoring!

 

There are a couple of hold down loops. One on each side in the back seat. They are covered with a black plastic removable cover. I use a web strap from one side to the other over the rear seat headrest rails when the seats are folded to pull them down to just about flat. I cut a piece of fiberboard fitted with black fabric to fit over the seats. Makes a rather large flat area. I also remove the hatch cover thing so the whole rear compartment is full height.

Bill

 

"Flat Load Floor" was a different option than bench seats. It's an additional cover to the boot. Theoretically, it will be available at the dealer come March.

 

Miniblue2, I was thinking of doing the same thing, strapping down the back seats to get them flatter and possibly making my own load floor. Would love to see a picture of how yours turned out. I have an X-large dog and need the seats flat with all holes filled in. I was thinking making my own would work better than the extra flat load floor piece because I could extend it to cover further past the top of the headrest and eliminate more of the spaces for puppy paws to get stuck. Would have liked the bench but even that won't fill in that extra space between the back seat headrests and the backs of the front seats.

Still waiting on delivery of my countryman until the end of Feb. or beginning of March.

 

Sorry about the delay. I waited until I used it again to take the pictures. It is hinged in the middle and will store in the boot, not the boot well.

Bill

 

That is brilliant, I think I will do the same for the Yellow Lab. He likes to get right up and close to the front seat!

was it 1/2" plyboard?

Thanks for posting that good stuff

 

so glad this post is alive. eagerly waiting news of the rear bench in the us.

 

My dogs are my kids...

Also, it's then, not than.

 

Natural or adopted?




P.S. My Sealys and the Dandie are all adopted, just so you know.

 

I have 3 dogs, two schipperkes' and one schip /Jack Russell mix. They are adopted from the rescue league.

 

A friend of mine who lives in Florida Bought the Countryman in Costa Rica with the 5 seat option, and shipped it back to the US. I will post picture of the back seat....

 

Sweet!

 

Here are the photos of the back seat of a Countryman with the 5 seater option.

 

Because there weren't enough "circles" in the interior, MINI felt the need to circle out the rear bench seat. Enough already MINI...

"Have you tried the new hot-pocket-hot-pocket? It's a hot-pocket in a hot-pocket!" (from Beyond the Pale)

Also, thanks for posting the pics.

 

It might serve to be very functional for some and rightfully so, don't get me wrong, man I've got to say compared to the rear sport seats and split rail, that is "butt ugly."

But it would look good in a Smurf Blue CM


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